Knowledge, Perceptions, and Use of Psychedelics among Individuals with Fibromyalgia
This survey study (n=354) sought to characterize the knowledge, perceptions and past use of psychedelics among people with fibromyalgia (FM). It was found that 29.9% of respondents reported past use of a psychedelic, and perceptions of benefit from use were generally neutral (59.4%) or positive (36.8%). Less than 3% reported that using psychedelics negatively impacted their overall health or pain symptoms. 11 out of 12 patients using psychedelics specifically to treat pain reported improvements in their symptoms.
Authors
- Alan Davis
- Kevin Boehnke
Published
Abstract
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a difficult to treat chronic pain condition for which there is strong interest in alternative treatments. There is growing interest in the potential of psychedelic substances (e.g., psilocybin) in conjunction with psychotherapy to treat chronic pain. Via a cross-sectional, anonymous, online survey, we aimed to characterize knowledge, perceptions, and past use of serotonergic (“classic”) and non-serotonergic psychedelics among a population of individuals with FM, and to investigate interest in psychedelic-based FM treatments. Among a North American population of 354 participants with FM, 29.9% reported past use of a psychedelic, with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin mushrooms being most commonly used. Perceptions of benefit from psychedelic use were generally neutral (59.4%) or positive (36.8%), with <3% reporting negative impacts on overall health or pain symptoms. Among 12 participants who used psychedelics with intentions of treating chronic pain, 11 reported improved symptoms. Regardless of past use, the majority of participants believed that psychedelics have the potential for chronic pain treatments and would be willing to participate in a psychedelic-based clinical trial for their pain. These findings support the need for additional studies to understand the potential and effectiveness of psychedelic substances in managing FM symptoms.
Research Summary of 'Knowledge, Perceptions, and Use of Psychedelics among Individuals with Fibromyalgia'
Introduction
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition affecting an estimated 2–4% of the population and is commonly managed with combinations of pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. Glynos and colleagues note that existing FDA-approved medications for FM are not always preferred by patients and that many non-pharmacological options lack insurance coverage, which contributes to the uptake of alternative therapies. In parallel, there has been renewed clinical interest in psychedelic-assisted therapies (for example psilocybin, ketamine, MDMA) following small trials showing benefits for depression and anxiety, and mechanistic hypotheses suggesting psychedelics might modulate brain network dynamics, attention to sensation, and promote psychologically meaningful experiences that could plausibly affect chronic pain. This study aimed to characterise past use, knowledge, and perceptions of both serotonergic (classic) and non-serotonergic psychedelic substances among individuals with FM, and to assess interest in psychedelic-based treatments. The authors hypothesised that most participants would express interest in psychedelic therapies and that past psychedelic use would be associated with self-reported improvements in health and well-being.
Expert Research Summaries
Go Pro to access AI-powered section-by-section summaries, editorial takes, and the full research toolkit.
Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compounds
- Topics
- Authors
- APA Citation
Glynos, N. G., Pierce, J., Davis, A. K., McAfee, J., & Boehnke, K. F. (2023). Knowledge, Perceptions, and Use of Psychedelics among Individuals with Fibromyalgia. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 55(1), 73-84. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2021.2022817
References (30)
Papers cited by this study that are also in Blossom
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Bolstridge, &. M., Day, C. M. J. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2017)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Shanahan, M. et al. · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2014)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Giribaldi, B., Watts, R. et al. · New England Journal of Medicine (2021)
Castellanos, J. P., Woolley, C., Bruno, K. A. et al. · Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (2020)
Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., May, D. G. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2021)
Davis, A. K., Averill, L. A., Sepeda, N. D. et al. · Chronic Stress (2020)
Feder, A., Costi, S., Rutter, S. B. et al. · American Journal of Psychiatry (2021)
Garcia-Romeu, A., Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W. · Current Drug Abuse Reviews (2015)
Gasser, P., Holstein, D., Michel, Y. et al. · Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (2014)
Hibicke, M., Gobbi, G. · Journal of Neuroscience (2020)
Show all 30 referencesShow fewer
Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)
Grob, C. S., Danforth, A. L., Chopra, G. S. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2011)
Hendricks, P. S., Thorne, C. B., Clark, B. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2015)
Johnson, M. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., Cosimano, M. P. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2014)
Johnson, M. W., Hendricks, P. S., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2019)
Karst, M., Halpern, J. H., Bernateck, M. et al. · Cephalalgia (2010)
Krediet, E., Bostoen, T., Breeksema, J. J. et al. · International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
Mitchell, J., Bogenschutz, M. P., Lilienstein, A. et al. · Nature Medicine (2021)
Mithoefer, M. C., Feduccia, A. A., Jerome, L. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2019)
Mithoefer, A. T., Mithoefer, M. C., Feduccia, A. A. et al. · Lancet Psychiatry (2018)
Nichols, C. D., Nichols, D. E., Johnson, M. W. · Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2016)
Noorani, T., Garcia-Romeu, A., Swift, T. C. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2018)
Ramachandran, V., Chunharas, C., Marcus, Z. et al. · Neurocase (2018)
Ramaekers, J. G., Hutten, N. P. W., Mason, N. L. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Ross, S., Bossis, A. P., Guss, J. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)
Schindler, E. A. D., Gottschalk, C. H., Weil, M. J. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2015)
Sewell, R. A. · Neurology (2006)
Strassman, R. J., Qualls, C .R. · JAMA Psychiatry (1994)
Williams, T. M., Davis, A. K., Xin, Y. et al. · Drugs Education Prevention and Policy (2020)
Yaden, D. B., Griffiths, R. R. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2020)
Cited By (3)
Papers in Blossom that reference this study
Aday, J. S., Mcafee, J., Conroy, D. A. et al. · Frontiers in Pain Research (2025)
Cavarra, M., Mason, N. L., Kuypers, K. P. C. et al. · European Journal of Pain (2023)
Lyes, M., Yang, K. H., Castellanos, J. P. et al. · PAIN (2022)
Your Personal Research Library
Go Pro to save papers, add notes, rate studies, and organize your research into custom shelves.